Abdominal bandage.



(No Model.)

Patentad Mar. 26, I90l. E. A. RICHMOND.

ABDOMINAL BANDAG E.

(Application filed Nov. 7,1898.)

Wih e s s e s 10 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMMA A. RICHMOND, OF ME DFORD, MASSACHUSETTS,

ABDOMINAL BAN DAG E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,814, dated March 26, 1901 Application filed November 7. 1898. Serial No. 695,779. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMMA A. RICHMOND, of Medford, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corset Extensions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in corset extensions to be applied to the lower edge of the corset for the purpose of molding, reshaping, or perfecting the form of that part of a womans body which is below the lower edge of the common corset now worn,to draw the hips and abdomen into more perfect shape, and also to prevent the line of the lower edge ofthe corset from showing on the outside of the dress.

It consists of an extension which is attached to the lower curved edge of the corset, which extension is perfectly straight on its upper edge attached to the corset and has its opposite or lower edge parallel with its upper edge. The extension is made in two parts, each connected to the other at one end, preferably the rear end, by adjustable and elastic connections, the front ends being buttoned, hooked, or laced together in any well-known manner. The ends of the two parts of the extension are parallel and at right angles to the upper and lower edges thereof. The extension is made perfectly free from bones, steels, or other stiffening devices and is perfectly pliable, soft, and flexible, so as not to cut into the flesh of the person wearing it, and is so shaped that it has no tendency to ride up on the persons body and become wrinkled after it has once been properly adjusted in to place.

For a more perfect conception of my invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, forming an essential part of the specification, and whereon- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a corset provided with my improved extension, showing the same in the shape it assumes when in position on a person. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of the extension removed from the corset. Fig. 3 represents my improved corset extension removed from thecorset and laid fiat. Fig. 4 represents a similar View of the extension to that shown on Fig. 3, but showing the same as being provided with an additional triangular extension applied to the front part of the extension to still further reach downward and hold and reshape the abdomen. Fig. 5 represents a detail cross-section of the lower edge of the corset and upper edge of the extension, showing the preferred manner of attaching the extension to the lower edge of the corset.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts wherever they occur in the different parts of the drawings.

Heretofore devices have been designed to hold and support the abdomen of fleshy or corpulent persons which have been made in the form of bandages or bands which have been applied to the person separate from the corsets, relying upon their peculiar shape, d ue to gussets, gores, or plaits formed therein, and to the consequent stiffness and unyielding character of the band, in order to produce the desired result. In some cases such abdominal bandages have been attached to the side seams of the corsets and swing under the abdomen in order to draw it upward, but not to clamp and confine it, so as to reshape it. Such devices have been found to be very uncomfortable to the wearer, as the bones and steels or other devices employed to give the bandage the desired stiffness have caused the bandage by its unyielding character to out into or chafe the flesh of the person wearing it, and in most cases the reshaping or perfecting of the form of the person has not been accomplished by these devices. Where the bandages have been made entirely separate from the corset, the edge of the same has projected up under the lower edge of the corset, and so materially added to the thickness upon the person that it formed a ridge which was plainly seen on the outside of the dress. The devices thus far produced have been designed for medicinal purposes to remedy weaknesses and to cure diseases of the abdomen and of the spine by supporting the abdomen, but not to reshape and perfect the form by confining the abdomen and hips.

My improved extension is desigued,as above stated, for the purpose of molding and reshaping the hips and abdomen of persons so as to give them a more graceful and perfect form, and it is made from perfectly flexible material-such as cloth, leather, or other analogous material-entirely without the use of bones, steels, or stays, is free to yield with the movement of the person, and does not cut into or chafe the flesh. It is so shaped that by its combination with the lower curved edge of the corset to which its upper edge is attached it will become dished, so as to perfectly confine and reshape the hips and abdomen into a graceful outline, and can be worn with ease, adding to, rather than detracting from, the comfort of the wearer.

The corset extension is made in two parts 1l,which are connected by means of the straps 2 2, provided with suitable buckles 3 3 or other suitable devices, whereby the length of the connecting-straps 2 between the two parts of the corset extension may be varied to adjust the corset extension to the wearer. The straps 2 are preferably made elastic, so as to yield slightly to strains upon the corset extension by the movements of the person wearing it. The parts 1 1 of the corset extension are made with the upper edge 4, which is perfectly straight and is provided with suitable means, as the tapes 5 5, on the inside and outside of the corset extension, as shown in Fig. 5, by which they are attached to the lower edge of the corset 0, one of said parts being attached to the lower edge of each of the two parts into which corsets are usually divided. The lower edge 6 of the part 1 of the corset extension is also made perfectly straight and is parallel to its upper edge, and when the upper straight edge of the extension is secured to the lower curved edge of the corset, as above set forth, a corresponding curve will be given to the normally straight lower edge of the extension, which will cause the corset extension to assume a dished condition, tending to hold it in place upon the person and to reshape the hips and abdomen into more perfect form. The front edge 7 and back edge 8 of the parts 1 of the corset extension are also perfectly straight, parallel to each,

other, and at right angles to the top and bottom edges of said parts. It will thus be seen that each of the parts 1 is made in the form of aright-angled parallelogram, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

If it is desired to combine an abdominal" support with my improved form-perfecting corset extension, I attach the triangular abdomen-supporting corset extension 9 to the front part of the lower edge 6 of each part 1 of the corset extension,substantially as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. The front edge 10 of this abdomen-supporting corset extension does not follow the line of the front edge 7 of the corset extension, but extends downward and slightly backward, so as to tend to draw under the abdomen when the two front edges 10 of the supporting corset extension are fastened together, as hereinafter fully set forth.

The back edges 8 8 of the two parts 1 1 of the corset extension are provided with one or more straps 2 2, which are preferably made of elastic material, as above set forth, and

which are provided with suitable buckles 3 3 or other suitable well-known devices, whereby the straps on one of the edges 8 may be connected to the straps on the other edge 8 to connect said edges together and whereby the length of the connections may be varied to adjust the corset extension to the person desiring to wear it, or said edge may be provided with eyelets 11 and laced with an elastic lacing 12, as shown in Fig. at, if so desired.

The front edges 7 7 of the two parts of the corset extension, as well as the front edges 10 10 of the abdomen-supporting corset extension, are provided with hooks 13 and eyes 14 or other suitable and well-known fastening devices, which are preferably so arranged that they cause the edges 7 7 to abut each other, but not to overlap, and by this means prevent the increasing of the thickness of the corset extension in this place, and consequently tend to keep the dress smooth over the meeting edges of the corset extension.

. The corset extension being smoothly attached to the corset by means of the tapes 5 5 makes a smooth joint between the corset extension and corset and prevents the joint from showing on the outside of the dress, and these tapes also tend to prevent the bones of the corset from working through the corset and dress.

The corset extension is made without bones or stays and is consequently very soft and pliable, and therefore will not cut into the flesh of the person wearing it when in a sit-' ting position.

The curved stiff lower edgg of thenbon'ed corsetmmdfoflie pliable straight edge ofthe parts 1 of the corset extension tends to give the corset extension such a shape that it will draw the abdomen backward and upward into its proper place and prevent it from sagging, while at the same time it will hold the corset extension down smooth against the abdomen and prevent it from riding upward.

The meeting front edges of the supporting corset extension being out backward from the 7 line of front edges of the corset extension causes the supporting corset extension to draw downward under'the abdomen and by its attachment to the corset holds or supports the abdomen in proper'place.

This, my improved corset extension, may be made in one piece with the corset and sold to the trade attached thereto, or it may be made separate from the corset, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and be attached to the corset by the person purchasing it.

Having thus fully described the natu re,construction, and operation of my invention, I Wish to secure by Letters Patent and claim-- 1. In combination with a corset, an extension to each part of the corset, consisting of a perfectly flexible piece, having straight upper and lower edges and straight ends at right angles to said upper and lower edges, the en tire upper straight edge of the extension being attached to the entire lower curved edge of the corset, thus giving the lower edge of said extension, which is normally straight, at corresponding curve to the curve on the corset, a triangular abdominal supporting extension attached to the forward part of the lower edge of said corset extension having the abu tting ends of the supporting extension inclined backward from the line of the ends of the corset extension, yielding connection between the rear ends of said corset extension, and fastening devices .for the front abutting ends of the corset and abdominal supporting extensions, for the purpose set forth.

2. In combination with a corset, an extension to each part of the corset, consisting of a perfectly flexible piece having straight upper and lower edges and straight ends at right angles to said upper and lower edges, the entire upper straight edge abutting the entire lower curved edge of the corset, tapes on the interior and exterior covering the abutting edges of the extension and the corset and sewed to said parts to attach them together with a flat seam, the lower edge of the extension, which is normally straight, being given a curve corresponding to the curved lower edge of the corset by the attachment of the extension thereto, yielding connections between the rear ends of said extensions, and fastening devices for the front ends of' said extensions, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EMMA A. RICHMOND. Witnesses:

HENRY CHADBOURN, S. BAYARD THOMPSON. 

